Phonograph for dolls or



'T. A. EDISON. PHONOGRAPH FOR DOLLS OR OTHER TOYS (No Model.)

. No. 423,039; Patented Mar 11, 1890.

. shoe-m foi- 1 32911 @Jozymaf I x fjeo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS" A. EDISON, OF LLEXVELLYN FARK, NE\V JERSEY.

enooenaea FOR DOLLS ORQTHER TOYS.

s Is GMI'10N ferming partof Lettorsratent No. 423,039, dated March 11, 1890.

Application filed uly 2, 1889. Serial No. 316,324. (No model.)

Toall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Llewellyn Park, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have inventeda'certain new and Tuseful Improvement in Phonographs, Case No. 836,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to phonographs designed tobe placed in dolls inafter explained, and pointed out by the other closely-fitted parts.

claims. In the accompanying drawings,'Figure ,1 is

a vertical section of the phonograph, and Fig.

2 is a side elevation.

A is aframe,which may be a metal strap ben to form-a rectangle and vopen on its upper side, where it is connected by the reproducerframe which rests upon it. The principal part of the rcproduccr-frame is a pressed or spun metal ring a, having its upper edge extended into a horizontal flange l, which rests upon the ends of the fraineAand is secured thereto by screws a. The ring a has its upper edge turned outwardly into a flange resting upon-the ends of the frame A, as stated,- while its lower edge is turned inwardly to form a flange, upoh which rests'the diaphragm l; of the rcproducer. The diaphragm B is held between two rings of india-rubber at its edge, and upon theupper ringrests a metal cover 0, from the center of whieh'rises a funnel C. Four springs c are sccuredunder the heads of the screws a and project inwardly,

their inner ends pressing upon the top of the cover c and forcing the same downwardly, so as to clamp the diaphragm at its edge. By this exceedingly simple construction the diaphragm is held in position by simple stamped or spun parts and without screw-rings or The reproducingpointi 1) is connected with the diaphragm upon theqn-inciple described in my patent 'No. 307,280, so as to be capable of a retarded by the operation of the movement independent of the diaphragm. This is accomplished by securing the point I) to the end of a lever, which is pivoted at its center to a swinging weight (I, such lever being secured at one end to the postd,depei1ding' from the center of the diaphragm, this construction being that specifically described in my application, (Case No. 833,) Serial No. 306,670.

The reproducing-point is preferably a ball, as described in my application last referred to.

By connecting the reproducing-point with the diaphragm so that itiscapableof aretarded movementindependent of the diaphragm the reproducing-point will not only accommodate itself to eccentricities in the revolving record, which are liable to be present, more especially in cheaply-constructed apparatus, but by lifting the weight (1 the reproducing point can be raised off of the record without disturbing the diaphragm and while enabling a fixed frame for the rep-rodncer to be employed, thus adding a very important element to the device, since in these-toy phonographs some ord while the record is moved back to the po-v sition of starting.

E is the operating-shaft setting against the centering-point c, passing through one side of the frame A' and having a reducedend which passes through the other side of the frame A for the reception of a handle, the. shoulder formed on the shaft E restingagainst the inner side of the frame A and preventing the longitudinal movement of the shaft. 7 This is an efficient constructiomwhile it is exceedingly simple, since by the operation of turn- 'ing the shaft by hand it is given an inward thrust against the centeringpoint e, so that the friction at the shoulder is relieved. The

handle F is a crank, which may be formed of a piece of wire bent into a.- helix where it surrounds the end of the shaft. A pin e on the shaft catches the end of the helix, so that the shaft can be turned inone direction; but if it is attempted to turn it in the other direction the handle will turn back. on tlie Bhaft too and the pin 6' will be relcascd from the helix,

so that the device can be turned only in one direction.. Upon the shaft E is'mounted a sleeve f, a portion of which (shown at g) is screw-threw]ed; 'A drum G is secured by sol-' may be of any suitable composition. With'a spherical reproducing-point, which wears the surface but little, I have found that a sound,

record made in a hard wax-like composition is quite effective for this purpose. The ring ii is removable from the drum, it being held thereon simply by-friction' due to a slight taper of the engaging surfaces, so that. when the sound-record is entirely worn out the device is capabie'of being .repaired bythe substitution of a new ring, and, indeed, a number of rings may be provided with the device, so that the rings may be changed by the user, and thus a variety in the reproduced matter be secured. v

The sleeve f, with its'screw'threaded extension 9, is not as long as the shaft E, but it is capable of a longitudinal movement thereon against the pressure of a spiral spring Lwhich forces the sleeve f against the side piece of the frame A'at the handle'end of the shaft. At the centered end of the shaft is a drum J, which may be stamped or spun from sheet metal; and is soldered to a suitable hubwhich is secured by a set-scrcw-to the end of the shaft. A pin h projects from the drum J and enters .a hole i in the cylinder G.. The drum J being secured to the shaft E while the cylinder G is loose thereon, the cylinder G-wili. he turned with the shaft through the pin h. At the same time the pin will permit of the free longitudinal movement of the sleeve f upon the shaft.

- A counter-shaft K extends across between the side-pieces of the frame A beneath the main shaft E. It is jonrnaled directly in the frame on one side, and at its other end is car- 'ried by a slotted stirrup j. The shaft K carries a balancewheel L on one end, while near its other end, directly below the drum- J, it has a small spool 7:, around which a belt 1 passes,-which also encircles the drum J, thus connecting the shafts E'and K together,-so that the balance-wheel L will steady the revolving' movement'cf the main shaft. A

iii-shaped wire spring m is secured at one end to the screw which holds the stirrup 7' to'the side piece .of the frame, and at its other end it rests above the shaft K, exerting thereon a downward pressure so as to keep a definite tension upon the belt Z, which will be sufficient to take up the stretch of the belt 1 and insure the continued driving 'of the balancewheel when the main shaft is turned. The

feed-block M, which engages with the screw:

thread g upon its upper side, is secured to the end of a plate-springn, which is attached to and projects from a lever N. This lever is pivoted in the side ofthe frame bya strap held by a s rew at the handle end of theshaft.

weight d of the reproducer.

braces the plate-spring n. A wire spring 0 throws the inner end of th e lever N downwardly. The outer end of'the lever N, where it prolt' passes through the frame, and at its inner I end is slotted to form a fork or, which emjects through the frame, forms a finger-piece by which it can be depressed, and it has a projection 0', which limits its movement by striking against the frame or a projection therefrom. From the lever N,w'ithin the frame,

rises a wire 1), which is bent laterally at i'ts upper end and projects. under the swinging The effect of depressing the outer end of the lever N is to first raise the weight d through the rod 1),; disengaging the'reproducing-point from the sound-record, and then when thelower side of the fork n strikes the under side of the plate-spring n to disengage the feed-block M from the screw 9 and allow the spring I to throw the sleeve f, and with it the cylinder G 'of the sound-record II, back upon the shaft.

To operate the instrument, the parts being in the position shown isv turned, revolving the sound-record beneath in Fig. 1, the handle F l the reproducing-point and at the same time advancing the sound-record by reason of the contact of the stationary feed-block M with the screw 9. This advancing movement will continue until the screw 9 runs entirely out from beneath the block M, when the entire record will have been reproduced. In this traveling movement of the cylinder along the shaft the spring I is compressed. To carry the sound-record back to thepointiof starting,so that it can-be again reproduced, the lever N is depressed, first lifting the weight d'through the rod 19, disengaging the reproducing-point' from the record, and then lifting the block M off of the screw g, whereuponthe spring I forces the cylinder G back upon the shaft until the sleeve f strikes the side piece of the frame, when the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. I

To provide for the removal of the shaft from the frame, the side piece of the frame A, through which the reduced end of v the shaft passes, is slotted on one side, as shown in Fig. 2 at r, and the shaft isswung laterally into this slot, it being held by. a pivoted lockingplate P, which is pivoted at the points to the side piece of the frame and is locked in position by the screw t. By loosening the screw tthe plate P can be swung over into a horizontal position and the shaft E moved later-v ally out of the frame. This nojtonly permits thedevice to be readily taken apart for. putting a new ring on the cylinder,butprovides for the easy and cheap assembling of the machine in the firstinstauce.

It is evident that many of construction involved. in. this instrument way are again be employed with a recorder in place of a rcroo the features of withoutlongitudinal movement, of a phonogranrcylindcr sleeved upon the driving-shaft and rotating. therewith, a stationary feedhlocl: engaging a screw-thread on the cylinder-sleeve iior advancing the cylinder on the shaft, the said. feeddoloclc hein g adapted to be disengaged from said screw-thread to permit the reverse movement of the cylinder on the shaft, substantially as set forth.

in a phonograplnihe combination, with a stationary reprodnoer and a drivin -shaft without longitudinal movement,- of a phonogram-cylinder sleeved on the shaft and revolving ihcrewitlna feed-block engaging a screw-thread on the sleeve of the cylinder for advancing said cylinder on the shaft, said block being adapted to he disengaged from tho screw-thread, and a spring for sliding the rylinder back on the shaft when the feedblock is disengaged, substantially as set forth.

4'. In a phonograph, the combination, with the smtionary roproducer and a driving-shaft without longitudinal movement, of a phonogram-oylinder sleeved on the shaft and revolving therewith and having an advancing movement on said shaft, a driving-drum so. cured to the shaft, a counterbalance-wheel shaft with which the driving-drum is com nccted, and a pin on the driving-drum pass ing through a hole in the phonograin-cylinder for turning the latter with the shaft, substanlially as set forth. 7

' 5. In a phonograph, the combination, with the stationary reprodnccr having a reproducing-point capable of a retarded 'iiievemcnt independent of the diaphragm,

acting to lift the reproducing-point tollisen gage it from the sound-record without mov-' ing the repreducerdiaphragm, substantially as set forth. I

6. In a phonograph, the combination, with the stationary reprodncer having a reproducing-point capable of a retarded movement indcpendentof the diaphragm, of a revolving and advancing phonogranvcylinder can ryinga sound-record, a feed-block for advancing the phonogram-cylinder and adapted to be disengaged from tho feeding-screw, and

- alover actingboth upon the reproducing-point and upon said. feodbloek, disengaging the former from the sound-record without movmg the diaphragm and disengaging the latandga lever for from the feed-screw, substantially as set forth,

7. In a phonograph, the combination, with the stationary reproiincer having areprodno ing-point niovahie independent of the diaphragm. and. a lifting feeding-block, of a lever connected with the reproducing-point and adapted to lift ihand also connected with thefiecding-hloclc through a sprin g-fork, so as to disengage the block from-thefeedscrew after the reprodooing-point is'disengaged from the record, substantially as set forth.

8. in a phonograph, the eombinatiomwith the main shaft E, of the phonogram-cylinder sleeved on said shaft, the driving-drum so cured to the shaft and having a pin for turning the phonogram cylinder, the countershaft with balance-wheel, a spool on the counter-shaft belted to the driving-drum on the main shaft, and a spring for maintaining the belt under tension, substantially as set forth.

9. In a phonograph, the combination, with a stationary reproducer, of a main driving shaft wii'houtlongitudinal movement, a pile nogram-cylimlcr mounted on said shaft and revolving therewith, and also having an advancing movement thereomsaid shaft being centered at one end and held in a slot in the frame at the other end, so that by swinging it laterally it can he removed from the frame, snbsian ti ally as set forth.

10. In a phonograph, the phonogram-cylinder made from sheet metil and formed as a disk, with its edge turned laterally to form a cylindrical surface, and again turned; vortically to form a flange at one end of saidcylindric'al surface, substantially as set forth.

11. In a phonograph, the reproducer-framc' made of a ring of sheet metal having an in;

wardly turned'fiange at one end, the diaphragm resting on the inwardly-turned flange,

and a clamping-coversecuring the diaphragm and held in place by springs, substantially as set forth.

2. In a phonograph, the reprodncer-frame made'of a sheet-metal ring havingan inwardly-turned flange at one end to support the diaphragm and an outwardly-turned flange at the other end for securing the reproducerframe to a supporting-frame, the diaphragm resting upon the inwardly-turned flange, a' cover resting ripen the diaphragm, and springs pressing the cover upon the diaphragm to hold it in place, substantially as set fortln This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of June, 1889.

W itnosses:

Wnnqmn PELZER, more). N. Ursa.

Tnos. A. was. 

